Congress clears Keystone XL pipeline bill, setting up veto

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-controlled Congress has cleared a bill approving the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. That sets up a confrontation with President Barack Obama, who has threatened to veto the measure.

The House voted 270-152 on Wednesday to send the bill to the president. Neither chamber has enough votes to overcome a veto.

The vote caps weeks of debate on a top priority for Congress after the GOP took control last month. Supporters are already planning on using other means to secure the pipeline's approval.

FILE - Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., sponsor of the Keystone XL pipeline bill, speaks about Keystone XL, in this Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015 file photo, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Hoeven of North Dakota, the chief Republican sponsor of the bill in the Senate, urged the president to approve the project. The pipeline would carry oil harvested from Canada¿s tar sands to Nebraska, where it would connect with existing pipelines to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)